December is National Drunk and Drugged Driving Month

Intensive Holiday Impaired Driving Crackdown and Advertising Blitz Announced The "Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest" national impaired driving crackdown, involving thousands of law enforcement agencies across the country during this holiday season was kicked off on Monday, December 7 by Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, who also announced new data showing States with the best and worst improvement over the last year in addressing impaired driving behavior. "Drunk driving is a major public safety threat that still claims thousands of lives every year," Secretary LaHood said. "Drinking and driving is dangerous and unacceptable, and I'm asking law enforcement to stay vigilant during this busy holiday season." The enforcement crackdown is supported by more than $7 million in national TV and radio advertising and runs from December 16 to January 3.

News Release

Governors Highway Safety Association Supports the Crackdown The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) joined the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Office of National Drug Control Policy and law enforcement agencies in launching this year's National Impaired Driving Crackdown.  GHSA Executive Board Member John Saunders reported, "From Coast to Coast, highway safety agencies will be conducting a period of increased law enforcement presence on the roadways to prevent the needless tragedies associated with drunk driving."  Information about State Crackdown activities is available HERE 

In 2008, 11,773 people were killed in alcohol-impaired driving accidents, accounting for nearly 32 percent of all traffic-related deaths in the US. Drugs other than alcohol (marijuana or cocaine) are involved in about 18 percent of motor vehicle accident deaths. These drugs are often used in combination with alcohol. The people most at risk for involvement in alcohol-related driving incidents are young people who are drinking while underage, motorcyclists, and people with previous driving while impaired (DWI) convictions.

Legislation has proven effective in protecting people from these types of accidents; steps state legislators can take include:

• Aggressively enforcing existing 0.08 percent blood alcohol concentration (BAC) laws;
• Enforcing or lowering minimum legal drinking age laws;
• Implementing zero-tolerance laws for drivers younger than 21 years old in all states;
• Revoking the driver's licenses of people who drive while intoxicated;
• Using sobriety checkpoints during holidays or other events where officers are aware alcohol and/or drugs will be involved; and, 
• Requiring mandatory substance abuse assessment and treatment for DWI offenders.

Below are sample pieces of legislation addressing alcohol-related driving offenses:

• Arkansas HB 2082 - Would require people convicted of driving while intoxicated to attend a victim impact panel.
• Connecticut SB 696 - Would require the immediate suspension of a driver's license of any person under 21 years of age who is convicted for a first offense of drunk driving.
• Michigan HB 4336 - Would allow ignition interlock devices to be installed in the vehicle of repeat drunk driving offenders following 45 days of driver's license revocation.
• New York AB 5139 - Would impose an additional $10 surcharge upon every offense that is related to operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, which would be deposited into the New York State Victims of Drunk Driving Trust Fund.

In 2000, the costs associated with alcohol-related crashes in the US was estimated at $114.3 billion. This includes $51.1 billion in monetary costs and an estimated $63.2 billion in quality of life losses. Costs associated with people other than the drunk driver involved in an alcohol-related car accident was $71.6 billion, which is 63 percent of the total cost of these crashes.